Letters from Sri Ramanasramam, by Suri Nagamma

You remember on the 25th you and your wife presented
her with some clothes and she was then busy cooking for
guests in the house. That same evening, she was unable to
get up and so asked for water and she was given some. After
drinking it, she lay quietly and so all the guests left. I am
giving you the details as related by her niece who attended
on her. After that drink of water she could not talk or eat,
but remained bedridden. Next day this news was conveyed
to Bhagavan. On the 27th her condition became serious.

Telegrams were sent to her relatives. Even though she was
almost unconscious she would open her eyes slightly, when
anyone called her. At about four in the afternoon one lady
wanted to test how far she was really conscious. So she said,
“Food does not appear to have been sent to Bhagavan today.”
Immediately she heard the word “food” she opened her eyes
full and, with an exclamation, cast a questioning look. So as
not to disturb her peace of mind, her niece said, “We have
sent it,” and she nodded her head in approval. That is real
vrita deeksha (strict observance of a vow). What can one say of
the great mother who would not forget her kainkarya (service)
to Bhagavan, even though she was in the throes of death!
That is all. At 8 o’clock that evening incoherent sounds
were coming out of her mouth, her eyes were glazed and
she was clearly in the pangs of death. Her niece came to
Bhagavan and brought the news. The Ashram doctor went
there, examined her and declared that there was no hope;
and then they performed her jeevaprayaschitham (last rites).

Anyway, after the news was conveyed to Bhagavan, she had
not much suffering, the breathing became easier and feebler
and she passed away at 2-45 a.m. I came to know of her
illness on Thursday evening and thought I could look her
up the next morning but when I came to the Ashram before
starting, I heard this sad news. Bhagavan said to me, “Oh,
is she dead? I have been waiting to see when she would get
away from all these worldly worries. So she has gone away
from all these worries. All right, go there and come back.”
I went there along with some devotees. I was
overpowered with grief when I saw that body with the face
still undimmed. She was undoubtedly a powerful personality
and, when I was here alone in my early days, she was my
sole support. Though much against her will, I changed my
residence, she used to bring me food along with Bhagavan’s
whenever I was unwell. In accordance with her previous
instructions, I bathed her body in Ganges water, smeared it
with vibhuti (holy ashes) and put on rudraksha beads and then
saw her off on her final journey. All her relatives decided
that she should be cremated, not buried.

When I prostrated before Bhagavan at 2-30 in the
afternoon, he asked, “How did she die? What did they do?”
I replied, “They decided on cremation. Her relatives said
that she wished her ashes to be buried in her village and a
samadhi erected over them with a tulsi plant for worship.”
Bhagavan said, “Yes, yes, that is right. The same was done
with Ganapati Sastri and others.” After I sat down, Bhagavan
said in a consoling manner, “I told her quite a number of
times not to worry about this food but to stop it. But no! She
was adamant and refused to take food until she had served
Swami. Even today food was sent to me on her account.”
I said, “No more now.” “That Mudaliar old lady is still there,”
said Bhagavan. When he said this I was overcome with grief
and said, “Whenever Echamma gave me something to eat,
she used to get angry if I did not eat it then and there.” By
this time my eyes were full of tears, and saying, “Yes, yes,”
Bhagavan changed the subject. The earthly life of a devotee
who for thirty eight years kept this vow as her talisman and
worshipped God has now come to an end.

Another interesting thing: on the evening of the 27th,
after Veda Parayana and my usual pradakshina (going around
the hall), when I went in to bow before Bhagavan, I saw him
seated motionless in padmasana, deeply immersed in dhyana
and with his hands hanging loose at his side. His eyes were
glowing with radiance as if they were two celestial lights and
I felt that the spiritual lustre of the universe had come down
in a concentrated form in the shape of Bhagavan. I wanted
to see it closer and longer but I could not stand the powerful
glare and so I merely bowed and came home thinking all
the while that there must be some deep significance for that
deep meditative state of Bhagavan.

In the night after meals, and the subsequent short
discourse with Bhagavan at his bedside, Krishna Bhikshu
came to my place with a friend. When I enquired of Ashram
news, he said that Bhagavan had been deeply self-absorbed
with a radiant and distant look the whole evening, and that
there must be something great and unusual about it. We
wondered what it could be. Subsequently when we heard
the details of Echamma’s demise, we found that from 5 p.m.

onwards yesterday she was in the throes of death and that at
9 p.m. when the news was communicated to Bhagavan, all
her agony ceased and she had a peaceful end of her life.

Then we all thought that it was to release this great devotee
from her mortal state that Bhagavan had assumed that
superb radiant form the previous evening.